Children's Home run by City of York Council in York

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2667363 1 Registered provider: City of York Council

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a local authority. It can provide care for one child between the age of 11 and 17 years. Children who live in the home are likely to have social, emotional and/or mental health difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned their registration on 15 March 2023. The home is currently without a manager and the deputy manager is in day-to-day charge.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2667363 2

p.1

Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children and the leadership and management of the home at this assurance inspection:

p.2

Findings from the inspection

 Some restraint practice in the home is unsafe and not in line with regulations.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

 Leaders and managers have failed to notify Ofsted of all serious incidents.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

 The home is without a registered manager. Since the home was registered in December 2021, management arrangements have been inconsistent.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

 The previous registered manager has not maintained day-to-day oversight of the home.

p.2

The care of children

Staff know the child well and relationships between the child and the staff are generally positive.

p.2

The care of children

The child is continually encouraged and supported to express their views and opinions. Staff regularly feedback to the child about what has or will change in the home as a result. Consequently, the child feels listened to and understands the impact of their views.

p.2

The care of children

There is a range of professionals involved with the child, who contribute significantly to the staff’s understanding of the child’s needs. The home has produced a document to identify these needs. However, this document does not give staff any direction as to how to meet them. As a result, it is not clear that staff respond to the child’s day-to-day needs in a consistent way.

p.2

The safety of children

There is now a better collective understanding of the risks to the child. This has been developed through effective multi-agency working. Mental health professionals have devised protocols for staff to follow. These give staff clear direction on how to manage incidents such as self-harm, and what to do if the child goes missing from the home. Staff are now more confident in responding to incidents of concern, which have continued to reduce for the child.

p.2

The safety of children

The recording and review of physical restraint practice are poor. Staff do not consistently record all of the details required following an incident of restraint, and some of the restraint holds used are not approved or in line with staff training. Some of these incidents were due to the level of immediate risk of harm to the child. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2667363 3 However, leaders and managers have not fully explored the reasons for these incidents or reflected on what could have been done differently to keep the child safe.

p.2

The safety of children

The inspector reviewed a restraint record that had been signed off as complete and appropriate by a manager, despite this record not including any details of the holds used. This record did not include the child’s views, and evidence of a staff debrief was limited. Not all of the managers who are authorised to sign off restraint records are trained in the home’s method of restraint. This means that they are unable to identify poor practice. These shortfalls place the child at risk of significant harm and do not promote a culture of learning in the home.

p.3

The safety of children

Ofsted has not been notified of two serious incidents. Managers said that they had intended to submit notifications but had not completed them. This prevents Ofsted from maintaining effective oversight of the home and the safety and well-being of children.

p.3

The safety of children

The arrangements for the administration of medication are disorganised. There is information about the child’s medication recorded in their support plans that does not match the information recorded in the medication record. Managers said that the child is able to administer some medication themselves. However, this is not recorded in their plan.

p.3

The safety of children

On one occasion, staff administered the child’s medication twice a day instead of once a day for a period of five days. There is no evidence that staff sought medical advice, and managers were unaware of any action that staff took to ensure the safety of the child. Although managers spoke to staff about this incident, they did not explore further the reasons why it error occurred or what training staff required to prevent it from happening again. While there were no adverse effects for the child on this occasion, the consequences could have been very serious or life- threatening.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The home is without a registered manager. The previous registered manager requested to resign their registration with effect from 15 March 2023. Currently, leaders and managers in the home and at a senior level for the authority do not have a firm grip on the management arrangements for the home.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Despite assurances to the contrary, the previous registered manager has not been in day-to-day charge of the home. This responsibility has fallen to the deputy manager. The deputy manager has been in post since August 2022 and has no previous experience of working in children’s residential care. The oversight of leaders and managers has been insufficient in ensuring that the home is consistently operating in line with the Children’s Home Regulations 2015.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Managers have not ensured that all staff complete training that is relevant to the child’s needs. For example, only two staff have completed a required three-day first- Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2667363 4 aid training course, and only three staff have completed training in relation to autism. In addition to this, there are significant gaps in training for the deputy manager. This means that not all managers or staff are equipped to understand and meet the needs of the child.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Managers have addressed all of the requirements raised at the last inspection. Since the last inspection, staff report that they are better supported in their role. They now receive regular supervision sessions and participate in team meetings to discuss the child’s progress. These opportunities give staff the time to reflect on their practice.

p.4

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2667363 5

p.4

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff seek and record advice from a medical professional in the event of medication errors, and that managers address all errors with staff. 30 April 2023

p.5

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; 30 April 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2667363 6 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(d)(f)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(c)) 30 April 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.6

Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

p.6

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; 30 April 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2667363 7 details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.7

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.7

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

p.7

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii) (c)(iv))

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.7

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.7

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

p.7

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

p.7

Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

p.7

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. 30 April 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2667363 8 (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2667363 9

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: City of York Council

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GD

p.9

Inspector

Deb Duffy, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2667363 10 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10